Epstein-Barr Virus-induced Transformation of Cutaneous Plasmacytoma into CD30+ Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma

Epstein-Barr virus-positive, primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma, with transformation: Case report and review of the literature

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) positive primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma (PCMZL) is uncommon and subsequent transformation is rare.

METHODS

We report a patient with EBV positive PCMZL with subsequent transformation to plasmablastic lymphoma and review the literature for transformed PCMZL to assess clinical and pathologic characteristics. In the case we describe, the patient presented with multifocal PCMZL, developed large B cell transformation with plasmacytic differentiation, followed by plasmablastic transformation (PBL), and ultimately died of disease progression despite multiple lines of therapy. Past history was significant for psoriatic arthritis (multiple prior lines of immunomodulatory therapy). The lymphomas and non-involved bone marrow share the same somatic DNMT3A and TET2 mutations, suggesting clonal relatedness and an association with clonal hematopoiesis (CH).

RESULTS

Eighteen cases complied the cohort (seventeen cases from the literature and the case reported herein). Nearly half of the eighteen cases of PCMZL with transformation died of progressive disease (44%). Transformed cases were more commonly seen in patients with >2 sites at initial diagnosis. EBV was assessed in 5 patients, 3 were positive (all died of disease). Two patients with NGS studies demonstrated TET2 and DNMT3A mutations.

CONCLUSIONS

Transformation of EBV positive PCMZL appears to be a poor prognostic indicator, with our reported case being the first well defined case transformed to PBL, suspected to arise from myeloid-CH.

A Problem of Classification: 2 Cases of Epstein-Barr Virus + Primary Cutaneous Plasmacytoma Arising in Immunocompetent Elderly Patients

ABSTRACT

Primary extramedullary plasmacytoma is rare monoclonal proliferation of plasma cells, which arise in various nonosseous anatomic locations without detectable underlying systemic disease. Historically, cutaneous infiltrates rich in mature neoplastic plasma cells have fallen into one of the following categories, plasmacytoma, lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, and marginal zone lymphoma, which included immunocytoma. Since 2005, each of these was subsumed under the marginal zone lymphoma umbrella, largely on the basis of acknowledged diagnostic difficulties in some of these cases. We describe 2 cases in which the cutaneous infiltrates consisted of a pure population of light chain-restricted mature plasma cells in the absence of any other evidence for a marginal zone proliferation, or evidence of extracutaneous involvement, including a paraprotein. We propose that primary cutaneous plasmacytoma is the accurate diagnosis and is consistent with wider nomenclature. The unusual observation of widespread Epstein-Barr virus expression in both tumors is also discussed.

Treatment and outcomes for primary cutaneous extramedullary plasmacytoma: a case series

BACKGROUND

Primary cutaneous plasmacytoma (pcp) is a rare disease, with few studies to guide therapy. Our primary study objective was to define treatments used for pcp; a secondary objective was to describe outcomes of patients, including disease recurrence and death.

METHODS

An institutional cancer registry was used to identify cases for retrospective chart review. In a systematic review, treatments for, and outcomes of, all known cases of pcp were described.

RESULTS

Three eligible cases identified at our institution; each patient had a solitary pcp. The systematic review identified 66 patients. Radiotherapy was the most commonly used primary treatment modality (31% of all patients; 42% for patients with solitary lesions), followed by surgery (28% of all patients; 36% for patients with solitary lesions). Median survival for all patients was 10.4 years [95% ci: 4.3 years to not reached], with a trend toward a decreased risk of death with solitary lesions compared with multiple lesions (hazard ratio: 0.37; 95% ci: 0.13 to 1.08; p = 0.059). For patients with solitary lesions, the median and recurrence-free survivals were, respectively, 17.0 years (95% ci: 1.7 years to not reached) and 11.0 years (95% ci: 2 years to not reached); for patients with multiple lesions, they were 4.3 years (95% ci: 1.3 to not reached) and 1.4 years (95% ci: 0.6 years to not reached). Disease recurrence, including progression to multiple myeloma, was the most common cause of death.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with patients having multiple pcp lesions, those presenting with a single pcp lesion might experience longer overall survival. Local therapy (radiation or surgery) is a reasonable curative treatment for a solitary pcp lesion.